Red as Fire and Blood
by Wallwalker
Summary: [FFVI] He has her in the palm of his hand. (Kefka/Terra. Consensual, unhealthy relationships described here.)
1. Without Her Heart

The other generals thought that he had forced this onto Terra, and weren't they fools for thinking such things? As if it were not far more satisfying to him that she had asked it of him. He was the only company she'd had when they'd all feared her, the only one who would slip over to her cell to talk to her, just to give her another hand to hold beyond her own. She already belonged to him, had given herself over by choice; this was only the final step in the process he had started so long ago.

Kefka had to admit, he wasn't a great fan of patience. Waiting for her to warm to him had been excruciating and slow, when only images of fire and death had danced in his head. She was such a pretty young thing, so innocent, and he had used that to its full advantage. Her power - the things that she had been capable of - had hurt her heart so greatly, and it was only pain and fear that had weighed her down. No wonder, then, that when he had offered a better way - a way that she could be who she was without being afraid of that girl - she had leapt at the chance. She had accepted his will, had allowed him to own her, heart and soul - because she trusted him, because he had feigned patience and made himself the most important person in her life. And now she was his, and he would never let her go, would never let anyone take her from him.

And in the end, it had been the best thing for her as well. She was the same as him - so much lighter and freer without her heart.


	2. Red

Kefka binds her hair and wraps her arms in red ribbons.

The color makes Terra's heart swell full of joy, and sometimes she just smiles down at herself, looking at everything - her red flowered dress, her long stockings with delicate decorations, her hair brushed and smooth and tied back. She's so much prettier now, just like he said she would be. She's much nicer than the girl they'd kept away from everyone else, alone and afraid in her dull grey clothes.

She wasn't as colorful as he was; every day he'd add a new touch to his outfit, green or orange or any other color of the rainbow. For her, though, red would be the best - red to suit her lovely power, he'd say, giggling.

When Kefka wasn't busying himself with giving her gifts and guiding her through using her magic, she stayed quiet; he was a very busy man, he'd said, even when it might not look like he was doing something. Sometimes he was just thinking, and he hated it so much when someone interrupted him while he was thinking. She'd had the opportunity to see just how much - a guard had made the mistake once, and even her healing magic hadn't been able to erase the scars.

So she'd busy herself, often practicing her magic because that was what she was best at, and because he was always so _proud_ when he saw her calling down fire. "Oh, Terra," he'd say, "my lovely little firebug. You'll be so powerful someday, won't you?"

She would nod, smiling, because she liked it when he called her nice names, and when he gave her more red ribbons and red dresses to wear. She'd been alone for so long, in that cold room without a real bed, because they had all been so afraid of her burning it up. But Kefka knew what she was going through, too. He wasn't afraid of her. It was so nice, too, to have someone who didn't run away from her, even if she had to be careful not to bother him when he didn't want to be bothered.

He'll always bring her nice things, he'd promised. He'll take good care of her, as long as she would listen to him and do what she was told. That wasn't so bad, she thought. It had to be better than where she'd been before. Right?


	3. Dagger

Kefka watched her as she picked up the ornate knife, hefting it and feeling its weight in her its weight. He couldn't help but giggle at her ineptitude; she didn't know how to hold the dagger, let alone wield it. She was frowning, as if he had given her a puzzle she didn't know how to solve.

"Why is this here?" she finally asked, looking up at him. Her eyes were wide and bright, and her pale skin was luminous against her red satin dress. All of the dresses that he'd chosen for her were red as fire, or red as blood.

"It's a gift for you, my lovely," he answered, lounging against the wall. "I had it commissioned from one of the town's finest weaponsmiths, just for you."

"But why?" she repeated. "I thought you said I don't need weapons." She opened her hand, let a tongue of flame leap from her palm.

"Oh, dear Terra," he said, shaking his head. "The mind grows tired, stumbles and skips, and then what? I would not see you fall, my pretty, when your fire goes out." He stood and walked to her, pulling out a knife of his own. It was not his favored weapon - a spiked mace did far more damage in less time - but she was a quick girl, and would do well with a short blade. "Let me show you a few things."

He had her follow her through a few stances; and she was slow and cautious at first, but she has always been a fast learner, and eager to please him. She blushed at his praise when he told her she was doing well, her skin reddening with happiness; he couldn't help but think of the blood rising near her skin, wonders how it would flow if he were to gently run the blade of his own knife against it. It would be darker than her dress, and even richer in color.

And would she attack him, if he ordered it? Would she draw his blood? The thought raised goose flesh along his arms - their knives at each other's throats, blood trickling slowly from their bodies and joining, their magic mingling...

"Sir?" she asked, and he snapped back to attention to see her staring at him, her brow furrowed. "Are you all right?" She looked worried, that last bit of human weakness that he'd yet to purge. Ah, well - he had a new project in the works, something that would take care of that little problem.

He breathed in and out again, forcing himself back into reality. She was not yet ready for that, he thought. There was far more work to be done. "Of course," he answered. "You're just doing so _well_, Terra. You'll be a master at this in no time."

She all but beamed at the compliment. "Thank you, Sir!"

"Of course, of course. Now, I need to take care of a few things, and I need you to keep practicing until I get back. You will, won't you?"

She nodded, so quick to follow him, and fell back into the fighting stance.

He'd return that night, of course, after a few hours of work. Time would tell if she would obey; he was sure her mind was willing, but her body might just be unable to handle the strain. But if he did not tax her from time to time, how would she grow stronger? How would she learn?


	4. Weakness

p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Terra just had to say something./p  
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p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Kefka was bent over at his desk when she entered, reading what looked like a blueprint and muttering something to himself that she couldn't quite understand. He did not look up as she approached, even when she was standing right next to him./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She had to say it quickly. She'd lose her nerve if she didn't. "Sir... I can't do this anymore."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He didn't look up. He kept reading, muttering something about circuits and whatnot, and even though she was right next to him, she still couldn't understand./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I span style="font-style: oblique;"can't/span," she said again, trying to keep her voice quiet and gentle. "I can't doing hurting the other soldiers like this. I have nightmares about them -"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He tsked at her, shaking his head, still not looking up. "Oh, Terra," he said softly. "Nightmares? Ha... if I dreamed of every bug I squashed, I'd never sleep again!"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I... I'm sorry, sir," she said. "But I can't do it. I can't sleep at night, and my magic..."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"He looked up at her, grinning widely, but his eyebrows shot up and his fingers began to twitch. His smile could change to rage at any moment. "Hm? Speak up, girl. What are you saying about magic?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"There was no point in waiting. He'd know, either way. "It's... harder now," she said very quietly, lowering her eyes. "I think about all the people I've hurt, all of the other soldiers, and I... I can't call the fire. I can't do it."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She could feel his gaze burning on her skin, and fought down the fear. What if he told her to leave, that he didn't want her anymore? Him being angry, she might be able to take that, but if he dismissed her... he was the only thing standing between her and a very large, angry world./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She heard him stand, then, and kept her eyes modestly cast down as he approached her. "Oh, Terra," he said quietly, and he felt his cool hands on her bare shoulders. "Have you weakened, my little firebug? Tell me, have I asked too much of you?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""No, sir," she said automatically./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Of course I haven't." One hand moved from her shoulder to her face, cradling it. "You've barely scratched the surface of your strength, and yet you say you can't go on? Oh, Terra, the problem isn't here at all." He tapped her forehead twice with one long finger, then moved on to jab one long nail into the silk stretched over her chest. "This is always where weakness begins."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""I'm sorry, sir," she said. "I didn't want to -"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Hush, Terra. I'm thinking." He clucked his tongue as he tapped his finger against her chest again, and she froze. "Now, my dear, I know you're capable of a great deal more than you've shown me. I'd wondered if you were holding back, but you'd never hold anything back from me, would you?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""No, sir," she said again. "I never have."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""And you never will." He giggled again. "But what you say now, that makes far more sense. It's that heart of yours that's holding you back, and that'll never do. You can't give me things you can't reach."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She shook her head. Her eyes were watering; she did her best to hold the tears back. He didn't like tears, he'd said, not on her face. Tears were for lesser beings. "What should I do, sir?" she asked instead./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""What you always do, Terra. Listen to me." He reached back and snatched up the paper he'd been studied, pointing at the odd diagram. "Some of Cid's men made this to my specification just a few days ago. I had to make sure that the old man didn't interfere, of course. He wouldn't have appreciated the brilliance of my little side project."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She stared at it, not understanding the arrows and boxes and squiggles on the paper. She'd never seen anything like it before. "What is it, sir?" she finally asked./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""The details aren't important," he said, tossing it aside. "What matters is what it does. Tell me, Terra." He lifted her chin, so that she could look into his eyes. "This could take the weakness away, make it so that you'd never doubt what I had you do. You'd be so much more powerful, because it wouldn't hurt anymore. Would you like that?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She gasped. "I... yes, sir," she said. It felt too good to be true, but... he wouldn't lie to her, would he? He'd always been so attentive, when no one else would even look at her./p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Well, then. I'll have to find someone to put this together as soon as I can!" He leaned in and stole a quick kiss from her before turning away, finding the paper that he'd flung to the side. "We'll try to have this finished in three days' time, and then you can help me test it, hm?"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yes, sir!" she said quickly. Then, "Does that mean that I don't -"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Yes, yes, you don't have to train for the next few days." He waved the concern away like so much smoke. "You'll be the better for it when we finish this, anyway. Go back and get some rest, hmm?/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Oh, thank you," she said softly. "Thank you so much!" She paused, then realized what she'd forgotten. "Sir."/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Now, now. Save that for later," he said, laughing. "And do make sure you're still wearing that dress when I come home. You know I love it so." Then he shook his head, and waggled a finger at her. "Now, go!"/p  
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.1199998855591px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She didn't stay a minute longer, and the stares from the other soldiers didn't bother her as she almost ran back to her chambers. He'd listened to her, and now he was going to make things easier for her. It was more than she could've possibly hoped for, and she couldn't imagine how she could possibly repay him. Maybe, if he didn't return to his rooms too early, she could think of something that might almost be enough./p 


	5. Fragments

The first Crown that he gave her was a tiara, covered in gold and set with bright red stones. He showed it to her in their room, holding it gently in his hands as if it were the most precious thing he'd ever created. "What do you think, Terra?" he asked, his smile red and wide.

"It's beautiful," she answered.

"As beautiful as you, of course." He laughed. "Now, let me put it on your head, and soon you'll never need to worry about your heart holding you back again.

She eagerly bowed her head and let him fasten the little tiara onto her head. It was cold, and was heavier than she'd expected.

Life after the Crown came in fragments - a few moments here and a few there, before waking up in bed with cold sweat running down her face. She'd thought she'd sleep more easily after that; Kefka had said it would unlock her potential, that it was his greatest gift to her. But she still woke up in the middle of the night, a terrible sense of emptiness dancing in her head.

Being close to Kefka - so close she could feel the way he trembled in his sleep, as if he were still laughing - was the only thing that still helped. She tried to lose herself in him, because if she wasn't herself then she wouldn't have to hurt.

She was always just on the verge of remembering, and she still didn't _want_ to remember. Maybe that was why she couldn't sleep peacefully at night.

* * *

The magic came more easily to her now, just like he'd promised. She'd heard a thousand whispered accounts from soldiers who'd watched her train, who didn't realize that she could hear them. _Burned alive,_ they'd say, terror-stricken, glancing her way to make sure that she wasn't close enough to hear (because they didn't realize that she didn't need to be so close.) _Dozens of our best soldiers, in Cid's best armors, and she fried them in under a minute!_

It didn't make sense; why would Kefka ask her to kill other soldiers? But she could see them avoiding her more carefully than ever; a crowded bar would empty in moments when she stepped inside, and behind her Kefka would giggle, as if happy to have the place to himself.

She finally worked up the nerve to ask him, only to have her worries dismissed. "Why would you worry about such things, Terra?" he asked, eyes half-closed and stomach full of good red wine. "You needn't think of what you do when I command you. That's the gift I gave you, isn't it?"

"I don't," she said quickly, and it was true. If she hadn't heard the whispers, she never would've known. "But the soldiers... they say things around me."

"Well, of course they do! They know now what happens to those who betray the Emperor, who betray our very way of life. The only soldiers that I've ever had you burn were traitors, and traitors are no better than vermin. You agree, don't you?"

"Of course I do, Sir," she said, and meant it, because if Kefka said it was all right then she had to trust him. She'd already entrusted him with everything else; she didn't want to think about what would've happened if she had been wrong.

"Ah, my lovely one," he said, and stroked her forehead, near the red lines that the Crown had left behind. "My beautiful, powerful queen. Heavens forbid that _you_ ever betray me."

After a few days she noticed that she never heard the same soldiers speak about her twice.

* * *

She didn't kill every soldier that she trained with, apparently. Some of them ended up in the infirmary, bandaged on every inch of their bodies that she could see. Kefka would take her to the observation rooms to look down at them, from time to time.

"Ugh!" he said one day, pointing down at a small group dressed in blue smocks. All of them were young; some were no more than children themselves. "Healers, no doubt at Cid's insistence. What a waste of good talent."

Terra nodded. She didn't like to think about that. Kefka had always scolded her for using her own healing powers, even on herself when she was hurt. She was destruction, he'd say, not meant for such gentle and foolish things.

The young people were dispersing throughout the crowd; Terra could feel the warmth of the magic below, distant and strange, as the wounds she had inflicted were healed.

* * *

"This time, Terra, you'll be going on a very long journey," Kefka said, cackling with glee.

"Yes, sir," she said, sitting up in the chair. "Where are we going?"

"Not we, Terra," Kefka said, shaking his head. She could see him fiddling with the Crown, a newer one than before, darker in color and shinier in the harsh white lights. "I'm afraid I'll be occupied with mere politics. No, you'll be guiding a pair of loyal fools to liberate a powerful being from its icy tomb. You needn't worry - I picked these two soldiers myself. They'll cooperate."

Terra swallowed hard. The new Crown looked sharper than the other, and it was no longer red and gold. This was a wicked thing, dark and cruel. "Sir, what happened to... to the other Crown?" she asked.

"Oh, you'll have it back when you return," he said offhandedly. "This one's a more durable design. It'll be very cold in Narshe, after all. A bit stronger as well... at the Emperor's insistence, of course. The amnesia will most likely last longer, but it'll be taken care of."

She swallowed. "All right."

"Oh, don't worry, dear Terra. You'll come back to me, and it'll be as if no time at all has passed, won't it? Isn't that the gift I've given you?" He placed the crown on her head - it was colder than the other, and heavier - and knelt down in front of her to look her in the eyes. "You trust me," he said, his bright and gleaming eyes dancing in front of hers.

"Yes," she said, taking a deep breath. "I trust you."

"Who do you belong to, Terra?"

They'd said these things a thousand times before, but somehow it felt different, with the new weight on her head. But that didn't make her answer any less true. "You, Sir Kefka," she whispered. "I belong to you."

"Yes," he said, laughing softly. "You do."

The world slowly faded to gray around her, and his eyes were the last thing she saw.


End file.
